EP3955031B1 - Seismische untersuchung mit gleichzeitigem schiessen und erfassung mit seismischen knoten - Google Patents

Seismische untersuchung mit gleichzeitigem schiessen und erfassung mit seismischen knoten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3955031B1
EP3955031B1 EP21201015.1A EP21201015A EP3955031B1 EP 3955031 B1 EP3955031 B1 EP 3955031B1 EP 21201015 A EP21201015 A EP 21201015A EP 3955031 B1 EP3955031 B1 EP 3955031B1
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Prior art keywords
seismic
data
time
cable
sources
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French (fr)
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EP3955031A1 (de
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Clifford H. Ray
Etienne Marc
James N. Thompson
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Magseis FF LLC
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Magseis FF LLC
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01V—GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
    • G01V1/00—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
    • G01V1/24—Recording seismic data
    • G01V1/247—Digital recording of seismic data, e.g. in acquisition units or nodes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01V—GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
    • G01V1/00—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
    • G01V1/38—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01V—GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
    • G01V1/00—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
    • G01V1/38—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas
    • G01V1/3843—Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers
    • G01V1/3852—Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers to the seabed
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01V—GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
    • G01V2210/00—Details of seismic processing or analysis
    • G01V2210/10—Aspects of acoustic signal generation or detection
    • G01V2210/14—Signal detection
    • G01V2210/142—Receiver location
    • G01V2210/1427—Sea bed

Definitions

  • Seismic exploration generally utilizes a seismic energy source to generate an acoustic signal that propagates into the earth and is partially reflected by subsurface seismic reflectors (i.e., interfaces between subsurface lithologic or fluid layers characterized by different elastic properties).
  • the reflected signals (known as "seismic reflections") are detected and recorded by seismic receivers located at or near the surface of the earth, thereby generating a seismic survey of the subsurface.
  • the recorded signals, or seismic energy data can then be processed to yield information relating to the lithologic subsurface formations, identifying such features, as, for example, lithologic subsurface formation boundaries.
  • the seismic receivers are laid out in an array, wherein the an-ay of seismic receivers consist of a single string of receivers distributed along a line in order to record data from the seismic cross-section below the line of receivers.
  • multiple strings of receivers may be set out side-by-side, such that a grid of receivers is formed.
  • the receivers within an array are remotely located or spread apart.
  • hundreds to thousands of receivers, called geophones may be deployed in a spatially diverse manner, such as a typical grid configuration where each string extends for 1600 meters with detectors spaced every 50 meters and the successive strings are spaced 500 meters apart.
  • a towed streamer having receivers, called hydrophones, attached thereto may trail up to 12,000 meters behind the tow vessel.
  • receivers are connected in a parallel series combination on a single twisted pair of wires to form a single receiver group or channel.
  • the output from each channel is digitized and recorded for subsequent analysis.
  • the groups of receivers are usually connected to cables used to communicate with the receivers and transport the collected data to recorders located at a central location. More specifically, when such surveys are conducted on land, cable telemetry for data transmission is used for detector units required to be interconnected by cables. Other systems use wireless methods for data transmission so that the individual detector units are not connected to each other. Still other systems temporarily store the data until the data is extracted.
  • Marine vessels tow streamers in which are embedded hydrophones for detecting energy reflected back up through the water column.
  • the streamers are typically comprised of hydrophone strings, other electrical conductors, and material for providing near neutral buoyancy.
  • the streamers are made to float near the water's surface.
  • the same or other similar marine vessels tow acoustic energy sources, such as air guns, to discharge energy pulses which travel downwardly into subsurface geologic formations underlying the water.
  • OBC Ocean Bottom Cabling
  • OBS Ocean Bottom Seismometer
  • the prior art has centered on three main groups of ocean bottom apparatus to measure seismic signals at the seafloor.
  • the first type of apparatus is an OBC system, similar to the towed streamer, which consists of a wire cable that contains geophones and/or hydrophones and which is laid on the ocean floor, where the detector units are interconnected with cable telemetry.
  • a seismic vessel will deploy the cable off the bow or stern of the vessel and retrieve the cable at the opposite end of the vessel.
  • OBC systems such as this can have drawbacks that arise from the physical configuration of the cable.
  • a second type of recording system is an OBS system in which a sensor package and electronics package is anchored to the sea floor.
  • the device digitizes the signals and typically uses a wire cable to transmit data to a radio unit attached to the anchored cable and floating on the water surface.
  • the floating transmitter unit then transmits the data to a surface vessel where the seismic data are recorded.
  • Multiple units are typically deployed in a seismic s urvey.
  • a third type of seismic recording device is an OBS system known as Seafloor Seismic Recorders (SSR' s). These devices contain the sensors and electronics in sealed packages, and record signals on the seafloor. Data are retrieved by retrieving the device from the seafloor. Such devices are typically reusable. The focus of the present invention is on SSR type of OBS systems.
  • SSR type OBS systems generally include one or more geophone and/or hydrophone sensors, a power source, a seismic data recorder, a crystal oscillator clock, a control circuit, and, in instances when gimbaled geophones are used and shear data are recorded, a compass or gimbal. Except to the extent power is provided from an outside source via a cable, the power source is generally a battery package. To the extent prior art OBS systems have utilized on-board batteries, as opposed to external cabling, to supply power, the prior art batteries have been lead-acid, alkaline or non-rechargeable batteries. All of the OBS systems of the prior art generally require that the individual units be opened up for various maintenance, quality control and data extraction activities. For example, data extraction from prior art units require the units be physically opened or disassembled to extract data. Likewise, the unit must be opened up to replace spent batteries.
  • clock inaccuracies Since the clock is typically secured within the OBS package so as to be correctly oriented when the OBS system is properly oriented on the ocean floor, any misorientation of the OBS system on the ocean floor can result in clock inaccuracies. Finally, such clocks often are characterized by drift and time shifts due to temperature changes and aging, which again, can cause inaccuracies in the recorded seismic data. While it may be possible that mathematical corrections could be made to the data to account for temperature aging and time shifts, there is no prior art device that corrects for gravitational effects on the crystal clock. At most, the prior art only corrects for effects of temperature on the crystal clocks.
  • More modem OBS systems may also include a mechanical device to correct for tilt, namely a gimbal.
  • a gimbal is a device that permits free angular movement in one or more directions and is used to determine orientation of the OBS system on the ocean floor. Orientation data generated by the gimbal can then be used to adjust the seismic data recorded by the geophones.
  • gimbals are most often incorporated as part of the geophone itself, which are referred to as "gimbaled geophones.' .
  • One drawback to these mechanical gimbals of the prior art is the limited angular orientation permitted by the devices.
  • At least one of the prior art devices permit a gimbal roll of 360 ° but is limited in gimbal pitch to 30 0 .
  • the OBS system in order for such prior art gimbals to function properly, the OBS system itself must settle on the ocean floor in substantially the desired position. To the extent the OBS system is not oriented at least substantially in the horizontal, such as settling on its side or upside down, the mechanical gimbal of the prior art may not function properly.
  • Other gimbaled devices of a mechanical nature are not limited by 30 ° , however, in such mechanically gimbaled devices, mechanical dampening in the device can deteriorate the fidelity of the recorded signal.
  • gimballing of a geophone is expensive and requires more space than a non-gimballed geophone. For OBS systems that utilize multiple geophones, it may be impractical to gimbal the geophones due to size and space requirements.
  • the location of OBS system on the ocean floor is necessary to properly interpret seismic data recorded by the system.
  • the accuracy of the processed data depends in part on the accuracy of the location information used to process the data. Since conventional location devices such as GPS will not operate in the water environments, traditional prior art methods for establishing the location of the OBS systems on the ocean floor include sonar. For example, with a sonar system, the OBS device may be "pinged" to determine its location. In any event, the accuracy of the processed data is directly dependent on the precision with which the location of the OBS system is determined. Thus, it is-highly desirable to utilize methods and devices that will produce dependable location information.
  • the prior art systems generally require some externally generated control command in order to initiate and acquire data for each shot.
  • the seismic receiver units must be either physically connected to the central control recording station or "connectable" by wireless techniques.
  • certain environments can present extreme challenges for conventional methods of connecting and controlling the detectors, such as congested or deep marine areas, rugged mountain areas and jungles. Difficulties may also arise in instances where the receiver array is periodically moved to cover a larger area.
  • each type of connection whether via a physical cable or through wireless techniques, has its own drawbacks.
  • cable telemetry systems large arrays or long streamers result in large quantities of electrically conductive cabling that are expensive and difficult to handle, deploy or otherwise manipulate.
  • the corrosive environment and high pressures often require costly cable armoring in water depths over 152,4 meters (500 feet).
  • conventional cabling also requires a physical connection between the cable and the sensor unit. Since it is generally not practical to hard wire sensors on a cable, the more conventional technique is to attach cabling to sensors using external connections between the cable and the sensor. This point of the connection between the cable and the sensor is particularly vulnerable to damage, especially in corrosive, high pressure marine environments.
  • the OBS systems of the prior art are comprised of separate sensing and recording/ radio telemetry units or packages mounted on a carriage.
  • the separate units have external connectors that are cabled together, presenting many of the same problems as cabling from the central control on the surface of the water.
  • the primary reason for the separation between the sensing units, i.e., the geophone package, and the remainder of the electronics is the need to ensure that the geophones are effectively coupled to the ocean floor.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,642 discloses an elongated, upright chassis formed of spaced apart, horizontal ring plates connected by vertical leg members. Each leg member is formed of nested tubes that can slide relative to one another and that are secured to one another by a clamp mechanism. Releasably attached to the lower plate is a ballast ring. Also attached to the lower plate is the geophone package. Attached to the upper plate is a foam buoy. A control package extends down from the upper plate. The control package houses a power source, a seismic data recorder, a compass and a control circuit.
  • An external hard wire electrically connects the control package with the geophone package.
  • the system does not utilize any hard-wired communications link to the surface monitoring station but utilizes acoustical or preprogrammed means for controlling the unit.
  • the ballast ring When released into the water, the ballast ring is suppose to provide sufficient mass to maintain the system upright and couple the geophones to the ocean floor upon settling. To minimize the likelihood of geophone noise produced by wave or water current motion acting against the buoy and control package, once the system is coupled to the ocean bottom, the clamp mechanism on each leg is released, allowing the control package and buoy to slide upward on the nested legs, isolating the geophones from the other parts of the system.
  • ballast ring is then released from the chassis, and the system rises to the water surface under the positive buoyancy of the ballast.
  • Acoustic transducers, a radio beacon and strobe light are provided to permit the system to be located and retrieved.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,344 Another marine seismic data recording system is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,344 .
  • This patent teaches a method for deploying and positioning seismic data recorders in deep water. From a surface vessel, data recorders are attached to a semirigid wire which is deployed into the water. Due to the rigid nature of the wire, it functions to define a fixed interval between recorders as the recorders and wire sink to the seafloor. The wire also provides electrical communication for power or signals between adjacent recorders and between recorders and the vessel. Once the recorders are in place, they are activated either by way of a preset clock or by utilizing a control signal transmitted through the water or through the wire. Upon completion of data gathering, the wire and recorders are retrieved.
  • Deployment is accomplished utilizing a cable engine positioned on the surface vessel. As shown in FIG. 1 of the '344 patent, deployment occurs over the stern of the vessel as it moves in a direction away from the wire and recorders. This patent also teaches the need to store the recorders in a sequential manner to facilitate deployment and to track the seafloor location of the OBS system during data collection.
  • GeoPro offers a self-contained, i.e., cable-less, OBS system comprised of a 430 mm diameter glass sphere in which is enclosed all electrical components for the system, including batteries, a radio beacon, a seismic data recording unit, an acoustic release system, a deep sea hydrophone and three gimble mounted geophones.
  • the sphere is mounted on a weighted skid that counteracts the buoyancy of the sphere and anchors the OBS system to the sea bed.
  • the geophones are positioned in the bottom of the sphere adjacent the skid.
  • an acoustical command signal is transmitted to the sphere and detected by the deep sea hydrophone.
  • the signal activates the acoustic release system which causes the sphere to separate from the weighted skid, which remains on the sea floor. Under, positive buoyancy of the sphere, the free-floating system rises to the ocean surface, where the radio beacon transmits a signal for locating and retrieving the sphere.
  • the geophones are not coupled directly to the ocean floor. Rather, any seismic signal recorded by the geophones must pass through the skid and the bottom of the sphere, and in so doing, are subject to noise and other distortions described above. It should be noted that this packaging design is representative of many of the cylinder and sphere shapes utilized in the prior art since it is well known that such shapes are more effective in withstanding the high pressures likely to be found in ocean environments.
  • K.U.M. and SEND offer a cable-less OBS system comprising a frame having a rod at the top and forming a tripod at the bottom.
  • a foam flotation device is attached to the rod.
  • An anchor is fixed to the lower portion of the tripod and secures the frame to the sea floor.
  • Pressure cylinders mounted on the tripod portion of the frame contain seismic recorders, batteries and a release system.
  • a liydrophone is attached to the frame in order to receive command signals from the ocean surface and activate the release system.
  • Also attached to the frame is a pivotally mounted crane arm to which is releasably attached a geophone unit. During deployment, the crane arm is initially maintained in a vertical position with the geophone unit attached to the free end of the arm.
  • the crane arm pivots out from the frame and releases the geophone unit onto the sea floor approximately 1 meter from the frame system.
  • a hard wire permits electrical communication between the geophone unit and the recorders.
  • the geophone unit itself is an approximately 250 mm diameter, non-symmetrical disk which is flat on one side and domed on the opposite side. The flat side of the geophone unit is grooved and contacts the sea floor when released by the crane arm.
  • an acoustic signal activates the release system, which causes the anchor to be detached from the frame system.
  • the foam flotation device causes the frame system and geophone to rise to the ocean surface where the system can be located using the radio beacon and retrieved.
  • This system is comprised of a control unit, i.e., electronics package, and a node unit or geophone package connected to each other by a cable. Both the control unit and the node unit are carried on an elongated frame.
  • the control unit is comprised of a tubular body which contains batteries, a clock, a recording unit and a transponder/modem for hydro-acoustic communication with the surface.
  • the node unit is comprised of geophones, a hydrophone, a tilt meter and a replaceable skirt, wherein the skirt forms a downwardly open cylinder under the geophone unit.
  • the node unit is detachable from the elongated frame and control unit, but remains in communication with the control unit via external cabling.
  • the use of a tubular body such as this is very representative of prior art designs because the system packaging must be designed to withstand the high pressures to which the device is exposed.
  • a remotely operated vehicle (separate from the OBS system) is used to detach the node unit from the frame and plant the node unit into the seafloor, pushing the open-ended skirt into the seafloor sediment.
  • the elongated frame includes a ring to which a deployment and retrieval cable can be attached.
  • the communication transducer and modem are utilized control the system and transmit seismic data to the surface.
  • Each of the referenced prior art devices embodies one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art.
  • the OBS system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,642 as Well as the devices of GeoPro and K.U.M./SEND are upright systems that each have a relatively tall, vertical profile.
  • seismic data collected by these systems is subject to noise arising from water movement acting against the devices.
  • shear motion caused by movement of the ocean floor under such a tall profile OBS system can cause rocking motion of the OBS system, particularly as the motion translates from the bottom to the top of the unit, further deteriorating-fidelity of the recorded data.
  • these prior art devices are all asymmetrical, such that they can be positioned in only a single orientation. Typically this is achieved by heavily weighting one end of the OBS carriage.
  • such a device likely must pass through tens of meters (hundreds of feet) of water and contact an often rugged, uneven ocean floor that may be scattered with debris. All of these factors can result in mis-orientation of the system as it settles on the ocean floor, thereby effecting operation of the system.
  • the geophones will not couple with the ocean floor at all, rendering the device unusable.
  • incorrect orientation could interfere with the system's release mechanism, jeopardizing recovery of the system.
  • radio telemetry rather than recording data onboard the unit, to collect the data.
  • Such systems have limitations imposed by the characteristics of radio transmission, such as radio spectrum license restrictions, range limitations, line-of-sight obstructions, antenna limitations, data rate limitations, power restrictions, etc.
  • a rigid or semi-rigid cable system is utilized to fix distances and position individual recorder units, such cables are inflexible, extremely heavy and difficult to manipulate. Such cables do not lend themselves to corrections during deployment.
  • a desired grid layout identifies specific positions for individual units along a line. If a deployment vessel drifts or otherwise causes a cable being laid to be positioned off of the desired line, the vessel at the surface must reposition to cause the cable to get back on line. However, because of the rigid nature of the cable, the mispositioned portion of the cable will result in all of the remaining units on the cable to be mispositioned along the desired line.
  • the device should be designed to properly orient itself for maximum coupling as the device contacts the ocean floor, without the assistance of external equipment such as ROVs, and minimize the likelihood of misorientation.
  • the device should be less susceptible to snaring or entrapment by shrimping nets, fishing lines and the like.
  • the device should include a timing mechanism that is not susceptible to orientation. Similarly, orientation should not effect gimballing of the geophones.
  • the device should be easily deployable, yet able to be placed at a certain location with a high degree of confidence. Likewise, the device should be easily retrievable without the need for flotation devices or release mechanisms, nor should parts of the unit be left in the ocean during retrieval. Further, there should be a device and retrieval procedures that minimize potentially damaging tension in the cable connecting the seismic units.
  • US 2011/266086 A1 generally discuses a self-propelled underwater vehicle for seismic data acquisition.
  • the self-propelled underwater vehicle is adapted to gather seismic data from the seafloor and transmit such data to a control vessel.
  • the self-propelled underwater vehicle may be redeployed to several seafloor locations during a seismic survey.
  • US 2005/120796 A1 generally discusses an attitude sensing device and method for determining an attitude of a reference axis of a package containing a fibre optic sensor.
  • the attitude sensing device includes an electromechanical attitude sensor for generating an electrical signal indicative of the attitude sensor, and converter logic for converting the electrical signal into a stimulus signal.
  • a local power source is preferably provided for the electromechanical attitude sensor in the converter logic.
  • the stimulus signal is such that the fibre optical sensor is responsive to the stimulus signal to cause a variation in at least one predetermined property of an optical signal transmitted through the fibre optic sensor.
  • US 2012/147699 A1 generally discusses a method of seismic acquisition that utilizes a bank of restricted-bandwidth swept-frequency sub-band sources as a seismic source.
  • Each seismic source covers a restricted sub-band of frequencies, with all the sources taken together covering the full frequency range. Adjacent frequency bands may partially overlap, but non-adjacent frequency bands should not.
  • the sources may be divided into two or more groups, with no sources covering adjacent frequency bands being placed in the same group. The sources within a group can then be separated by bandpasss filtering or by conventional simultaneous source-separation techniques.
  • the source groups may be operated simultaneously but separated in space, and the individual sources themselves may each operate independently, on a sweep schedule customized for that particular source.
  • US 5 774 417 A generally discusses applying corrections to dual sensor ocean bottom cable marine seismic signals, for purposes of eliminating ghosts and reverberations.
  • Phase and amplitude corrections are derived in common receiver gathers, and applied to each geophone trace in the gather. The derivation of the corrections is performed on a limited offset common receiver gather.
  • the phase correction is determined by minimizing a folded cross-correlation of the hydrophone and geophone signals over varying phase angles, with the appropriate phase correction corresponding to the angle at which the minimum is obtained.
  • the phase correction is applied to the geophone traces in the gather, and an amplitude correction is derived by minimizing a cross-ghosting relationship.
  • an operator referred to herein as an "annihilator”
  • an operator may be developed such that it may be conditioned and inverted to minimize undesired noise contributions in the composite signal. This inversion may assist in recovering the constituent seismic sources from the composite signal.
  • the accuracy with which the constituent source measurements are approximated may be increased by implementing them as random sweeps having a conventional length.
  • US 2004/013037 A1 generally discusses a method for seismic surveying which includes towing a first seismic energy source and at least one seismic sensor system. A second seismic energy source is towed at a selected distance from the first source. The first seismic energy source and the second seismic energy source are actuated in a plurality of firing sequences.
  • Each of the firing sequences includes firing of the first source, waiting a selected time firing the second source and recording signals generated by the seismic sensor system.
  • the selected time between firing the first source and the second source is varied between successive ones of the firing sequences.
  • CA 2887400 A1 generally discusses a marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings.
  • the present invention provides a system for process blended seismic signals, comprising one or more processors configured to receive blended seismic signals detected by a plurality of nodal seismic sensor units that records seismic signals generated by a plurality of seismic sources of a survey region, the nodal seismic sensor units including a geophone, a clock, a power source, wrap around memory, and an accelerometer; select a timing function that includes a ratio of a dither time to a shot interval used to perform a seismic survey that is less than or equal to 1 ⁇ 2, wherein the dither time indicates a delay between two shots from two different seismic sources of the plurality of seismic sources and the shot interval indicates a delay between two shots from an individual seismic source of the plurality of seismic sources; and deblend, based on the timing function, the blended seismic signals to generate data representing subsurface structures indicative of oil or gas.
  • a system for collecting seismic data in marine environments by deploying multiple, continuous operating, wireless, self-contained ocean bottom sensor units or pods, each characterized by a symmetrical, low profile casing, and a unique external bumper to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent entrapment in fishing nets.
  • the pods are attached to one another utilizing a flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable that is used to control deployment of the pods through the water.
  • the pods are deployed and retrieved from the uniquely configured deck of marine vessel, wherein the deck is provided with a conveyor system and a handling system to attach and detach individual pods from the non-rigid cable.
  • the individual pods are randomly stored in juke box fashion in slotted racks. When seated within the slot of a rack, the seismic data previously recorded by the pod can be retrieved and the pod can be charged, tested, re-synchronized, and operation can be re-initiated without the need to open the pod.
  • the individual pods are stored in stacked, rotating carousels that permit seismic data previously recorded by the pods to be retrieved and the pods to be charged, tested, re-synchronized, and operation can be re-initiated without the need to open the pod.
  • the non-rigid cable and pods attached thereto are handled so as to minimize the likelihood of tension developing within the deployed line by virtue of movement of the surface vessel.
  • This includes a uniquely configured non-rigid cable system designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of tension is reached in the cable.
  • each individual sensor unit is comprised of a disk-shaped, water tight case formed of two parallel, circular plates joined around their peripheries by a shallow wall, thereby forming a package which is symmetrical about the axis of the plates and has a very low height profile relative to the diameter of the plates, much in the shape of a wheel.
  • the plates may be formed in other shapes such as hexagons or octagons which also are capable of forming a symmetrical package.
  • the case is internally supported to protect the integrity of the case from external pressure effects and to provide rigid mechanical coupling between the unit case and the geophones.
  • the unit is configured so that it will effectively couple with the ocean floor and collect seismic data whichever plate side it settles on, obviating many of the orientation problems of the prior art.
  • the plates may include ridges, projections or grooves to enhance coupling with the ocean floor.
  • a bumper Disposed around the shallow wall of the unit in one non-claimed aspect is a bumper having a cross section shape designed to urge the unit to settle onto one of the plate sides of the package, thereby resulting in a high degree of coupling between the unit and the ocean floor.
  • a bumper is provided and designed to prevent the unit from becoming entangled or snared in shrimping nets or fishing lines.
  • each unit includes an over-center latching mechanism to permit the units to be attached to a cable.
  • an attachment bracket is located off-center on the side of the case.
  • an attachment bracket is centrally located on one of the unit's circular plates forming the case.
  • the unit is self contained such that all of the electronics are disposed within the case, including a multi-directional geophone package, a seismic data recording device, a power source and a clock.
  • the clock is a rubidium clock.
  • the rubidium clock is much less susceptible to temperature or gravitational effects or orientation of the unit on the ocean floor.
  • the unit includes a crystal clock and a tilt meter. Gravitational effects on the crystal clock are preferably corrected on-board the unit in real time utilizing tilt meter data
  • the power source is preferably rechargeable batteries that can operate in a sealed environment, such as lithium ion batteries.
  • Units incorporating a tilt meter may also utilize the tilt meter data to perform various functions other than crystal clock correction.
  • one aspect of the invention utilizes tilt meter data for mathematical gimballing.
  • gimballing of the geophones is accomplished mathematically using tilt meter data, and as such, is not subject to the orientation of the unit as are mechanical gimbals.
  • tilt meter data may also be used to determine the position of a unit on the ocean floor as is the common use of such data in the prior art.
  • one aspect of the invention is to obtain and utilize tilt meter data in a time continuous fashion.
  • Prior art units typically only determine a unit's position once at the beginning of seismic recording. Yet it has been observed that the position of a unit may change over the course of deployment as the unit is subject to external forces such as water currents, shrimp lines and the like.
  • tilt meter data is measured as a function of time. This is performed multiple times during operation so that seismic data can be corrected as necessary.
  • the unit may also include a compass, a hydrophone, an acoustical location transducer and/or one or more accelerometers.
  • Compass data may be used to provide frame of reference data for each individual unit relative to the frame of reference for the overall survey.
  • sensors such as accelerometers are used to track the position of the unit as it descends through a water column and settles on the ocean floor. Specifically, such sensors provide inertial navigation data and record x, y and z position information as the unit is passing through the water column. This position information, along with initial position and velocity information, is used to determine the eventual location of the unit.
  • the unit is activated while on-board the seismic vessel and deactivated once pulled from the ocean, such that it is continuously acquiring data from before the time of deployment to after the time of retrieval.
  • the unit begins recording data prior to deployment in the water. Systems that are activated and begin recording before deployment in the water are thereby stabilized prior to the time when signal detection is desired. This minimizes the likelihood that an altered state in electronics operation will disrupt signal detection and recording.
  • the seismic data recording device includes wrap around memory and continuously records, even when not in use. This obviates the need for initiation or start instructions, ensures that the unit is stabilized at the desired recording times, and serves to back-up data from prior recordings until such time as the prior data is written over. As long as the clock is synchronized, such a recording device is ready for deployment at any time. Furthermore, routine operations such as data collection, quality control tests and battery charging can take place without interrupting recording. In the case of a continuously recording unit such as this, the unit can be used on land or in a marine environment.
  • non-rigid cable is an additional aspect of the invention. While rope may have been used in the very early prior art as a tow line for surface floating seismic devices, heretofore, to the extent OBS systems have been connected to one another, the prior art has utilized only rigid or semi-rigid wire cable. One of the reasons wire cable has been desirable for the prior art OBS systems is the need to electrically interconnect the systems. In the current invention, however, flexible, non-rigid cable is utilized since the pods, as described above, operate independently and do not require external communications or connections.
  • the non-rigid cable of the invention is preferably formed of a synthetic fiber material, such as polyester, and is encased in a protective overmold, such as a polyurethane casing.
  • a protective overmold such as a polyurethane casing.
  • the non-rigid cable is formed of a twelve stranded braided polyester core.
  • the overmold is ribbed or grooved to reduce drag in the water.
  • the non-rigid cable of the invention is also useful in a unique deployment method for the pods.
  • the non-rigid cable has only a slightly negative buoyancy. When attached between two pods each having a negative buoyancy much greater than the cable, as the two jointed pods sink down through a water column, the drag on the non-rigid cable is much greater than the drag on the units and thus acts as a parachute or brake, slowing the descent of the pods and maintaining the pods in an upright position.
  • the non-rigid cable enhances a unique retrieval method of the invention, wherein the cable is retrieved over the stern of the vessel as the vessel "drives down" the cable.
  • the drag on the cable created by the water causes the cable to parachute or billow out behind the vessel, minimizing excessive tension on the cable and ensuring that the cable is less likely to become entangled in the vessel's propellers.
  • a storage system includes a rack having multiple rows and columns of slots is disposed for receipt of the individual units.
  • Each slot includes a communications portal such that when a unit is seated within the slot, the unit interfaces with a master control station via the communications portal. Through the portal, information recorded on the unit can be downloaded, the unit batteries can be recharged, quality control checks on the unit can be conducted, recording can be re-initiated and the unit can be reactivated.
  • a storage system includes stacked, Il-shaped carousels.
  • Each carousel includes rollers to permit the recording units to be moved along the path of the carousel in conveyor type fashion until the units are positioned adjacent a communications portal.
  • the storage systems may be configured to have the dimensions of a standard 8'x20'x8' shipping container so that the storage systems and any seismic units stored therein, can be easily transported utilizing standard container ships.
  • Each unit may include a unique identification means, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or similar identification indicia to permit tracking of the individual units as they are handled on the deck.
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • each unit may include an acoustical location transducer or accelerometers to determine a unit's location on the ocean floor. Since the individual units are self contained, the location information, in association with the identification indicia allows the units to be randomly inserted into the storage rack, but permits data from multiple units to be retrieved and sequentially ordered according to the previous location of the unit on the ocean floor. Thus, the need to keep units in sequential order is obviated. Units that might have been adjacent one another on a receiver line need not be stored next to one another in the racks.
  • the overall deployment and retrieval system for the units is substantially automated on the deck.
  • the deck configuration includes a conveyor system running adjacent the racks and extending to the edge of the deck adjacent the water.
  • a robotic arm is positioned for moving the units between the storage rack and the conveyor belt.
  • a cable engine and cable spool/container are positioned to payout non-rigid cable so as to run adjacent the conveyor system and over the side of the vessel.
  • the speed of the conveyor is adjusted to match the speed of the cable, permitting attachment of the units onthe-fly.
  • the payout speed of line is not constant since movement of the vessel through the water is not constant, even under calm seas and low wind conditions..
  • the conveyor intersects with the cable being paid out by the cable engine.
  • a seismic unit is attached to the cable and the attached unit is subsequently released into the water.
  • a cable grabber downstream from the attachment station is used to securely clamp the cable prior to attachment of a unit, thereby removing upstream line tension during attachment of the unit to the cable.
  • the cable grabber may include a release system requiring an operator to use both hands in order to open the grabber, thereby minimizing danger to the operator when the unit is released and the upstream cable is again placed under tension.
  • the cable With respect to tension in the cable, the cable is sectioned and the cable sections are attached to one another utilizing a uniquely designed, break-away connector.
  • the connector is comprised of first and second fittings that nest into each other.
  • a shear pin is inserted through the nested fittings to secure the fitting together.
  • Each fitting is attached to the end of a cable section such that when the fittings are secured together, the cable sections form a longer length of cable. If the tension in the cable become greater than the shear limit of the shear pin, the shear pin with break away and the cable will separate.
  • one non-claimed aspect of the invention utilizes a clamping mechanism that permits units to be clamped directly on a length of cable
  • another non-claimed aspect of the invention utilizes a sleeve attached to the cable.
  • the clamping mechanism secures to the sleeve which is bounded by overmolded shoulders.
  • the sleeve of the invention can be clamped or placed around a length of cable and secured in place without cutting the cable.
  • the sleeve is secured to the cable by inserting pins through the sleeve and cable in the x and y planes perpendicular to the axis of the cable.
  • each sleeve Shoulders are molded over the pins at the ends of each sleeve. While the overmolding on opposite ends of the sleeve can be used to define an attachment area along the sleeve, the sleeve may include flared ends that further define such attachment area.
  • a method of performing a seismic survey including: deploying nodal seismic sensors at positions in a survey region; activating a plurality of seismic sources; and using the nodal seismic sensors to record seismic signals generated in response to the activation of the plurality of signals.
  • At least some of the nodal seismic sensors record blended seismic signals.
  • the step of activating a plurality of seismic sources includes repeatedly activating at least two of the seismic sources at times separated by a variable dither time.
  • At least some of the nodes are configured to continuously record seismic signals to generate seismic data during the step of repeatedly activating at least two of the seismic sources.
  • Some non-claimed aspect include retrieving the continuously recorded seismic data acquired during the step of repeatedly activating at least two of the seismic sources; and processing the retrieved data to generate seismic gather data indicative of at least one common receiver gather.
  • Some embodiments include de-blending the seismic gather data.
  • de-blending the seismic gather data includes enhancing data corresponding to activation of a first one of the seismic sources while diminishing data corresponding to activation of another one of the seismic sources.
  • enhancing data corresponding to activation of the first one of the seismic sources includes coherently combining data corresponding to multiple activations of the first one of the seismic sources using coherent data from at least a portion of the plurality of sensor nodes.
  • diminishing data corresponding to activation of the second one of the seismic sources includes incoherently combining data corresponding to multiple activations of the second one of the seismic sources using incoherent data from at least a portion of the plurality of sensor nodes.
  • At least a portion of the nodal seismic sensors includes ocean bottom sensors.
  • Some non-claimed aspect include comprising deploying at least some of the ocean bottom sensors using a remotely operated vehicle.
  • Some non-claimed aspect include deploying at least some of the ocean bottom sensors using a node-on-a-rope system.
  • nodal seismic sensors are synchronized to standard time at the time they deployed.
  • the nodal seismic sensors are synchronized to standard time at the time they are recovered.
  • the nodal seismic sensors are synchronized to standard time at the time they while they are deployed.
  • At least one of the nodal seismic sensors include a GPS receiver used to synchronize the sensor to standard time at the time they while the sensor is deployed.
  • At least some of the nodal seismic sensors are deployed in a marine environment at a depth greater than 100 m, 500 m, 1000 m.
  • At least some of the nodal seismic sensors continuously record seismic data during deployment.
  • activating a plurality of seismic sources includes: obtaining a plurality of marine vessels, each vessel configured to transport at least one of the plurality of seismic sources; and using the marine vessels to activate the seismic sources at a plurality of selected location.
  • At least one of the nodal seismic sensors includes: a case; at least one seismic sensor disposed within the case; a clock disposed within said case; a power source disposed within the case; and a seismic data recorder disposed within the case.
  • the at least one seismic sensor includes a geophone, hydrophone, accelerometer, or combinations thereof.
  • At least one seismic source includes at least one air gun.
  • At least one of seismic source includes at least one selected from the list consisting of: a weight drop device; a seismic vibrator device; and an explosive source.
  • the step of activating a plurality of seismic sources includes modulating an output of each seismic source with a respective modulation signature indicative of the identity of the seismic source.
  • Some non-claimed aspect include using the record seismic signals to generate survey data indicative of subsurface geological features in the survey region.
  • Some non-claimed aspect include outputting the survey data.
  • Pod 10 is comprised of a water tight case 12 having a wall 14 defining an internal, water-tight compartment 16. Disposed within compartment 16 is at least one geophone 18, a clock 20, a power source 22, a control mechanism 23 and a seismic data recorder 24.
  • pod 10 is self-contained such that power source 22 meets all of the power requirements of pod 10.
  • control mechanism 23 provides all control functions for pod 10 eliminating the need for external control communications.
  • Pod 10 is weighted to have a negative buoyancy so that it will sink towards the ocean floor when deployed in a water column.
  • pod 10 is a self-contained seismic data collection system which requires no external communication or control in order to record seismic signals.
  • geophone 18 is internally mounted within pod 10 and thus requires no external wiring or connection. It has been determined that utilizing the case design described in more detail below, geophone 18 is effectively coupled to the ocean floor such that seismic data transmitted through pod 10 to geophone 18 is not corrupted by interference.
  • pod 10 may also include a compass 36 and a tilt meter 38.
  • geophone 18 is a geophone package comprised of three geophones to detect seismic waves in each of the x, y and z axes. Unless specifically indicated, all references to geophones utilized in the invention include conventional geophones as well as other known devices for detecting seismic wave activity, including without limitation, accelerometers.
  • each geophone measures data in multiple planes.
  • three geophones are positioned 900 apart from each other and each geophone measures signal in a single x, y or z plane.
  • the geophones are oriented perpendicular to the plane of the tetrahedral faces so that each geophone measures portions of multiple planes in the x, y, z coordinate system. For example, one geophone may measure seismic data in the xplane and z-plane.
  • clock 20 is a rubidium clock.
  • rubidium clocks have not been used in seismic exploration due in part to the expense when compared to traditional crystal driven clocks.
  • the pod 10 of the invention is intended to operate most effectively in one of several orientations, it is necessary to utilize a clock that in not susceptible to orientation effects which can inhibit operation of traditional prior art crystal clocks.
  • rubidium clocks are less susceptible to temperature and gravitational effects that can inhibit operation of prior art clocks in ocean environments.
  • Power source 22 is preferably a lithium ion battery.
  • the prior art batteries have been lead-acid, alkaline or non-rechargeable batteries.
  • case 12 comprises a first plate 26 and a second plate 28 jointed together along their peripheries by wall 14.
  • plates 26 and 28 are disk shaped, such that the overall shape of case 12 is that of a wheel.
  • each plate 26, 28 is characterized by a width (W) and wall 14 is characterized by a height (H), wherein the width W of plates 26, 28 is greater than the height of the wall.
  • W width
  • H height
  • any references to width W should be replaced by a diameter D.
  • the low profile characteristic is the same. While not limiting the overall low profile, in one embodiment, the height H is no more than 50% of the width W or diameter D. In one non-limiting example, the height H of pod 10 is approximately 16,5 cm (6.5 inches) and the width/diameter of pod 10 is approximately 47 cm (18.5 inches).
  • the pod 10 is substantially externally symmetrical about its x and y axes, such that, when deployed, pod 10 can settle on either side 30, 32 and still effectively couple to the ocean bottom.
  • the orientation of pod 10 becomes much less of a concern as compared to prior art OBS systems designed to settle on the bottom in only one "upright” position.
  • its balance is generally unstable on edge 34.
  • the pod 10 will tip over and settle on one of the two faces 30, 32.
  • Pod 10 also includes internal ribbing 33 used to support plates 26, 28 as pod 10 is subjected to the high pressures characteristic of an ocean environment. Ribbing 33 prevents any "rattle” or movement of plates 26, 28 that could otherwise interfere with seismic wave detection. Unlike the prior art, pod 10 as described herein is effectively a casing for the geophones such that a seismic wave can pass undistorted through the pod's plate to geophone 18. In this regard, because of the low profile and rigid nature of pod 10, the attachment point of geophone 18 within case 12 becomes of less consequence and the problems associated with prior art designs are overcome.
  • Each unit may include a unique identification means, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 40 or similar identification indicia to permit tracking of the individual units as they are handled on the deck in the manner described below.
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • each unit may include an acoustical location transducer 42 which permits the unit's location on the ocean floor to be determined.
  • FIG. 1 also shows a hydrophone 44 to permit measurement of pressure and a connector 46 for permitting communication with pod 10
  • Connector 46 may be a standard pin connector or may be an infrared or similar connector that requires no hard wiring in order to communicate with pod 10. Via connector 46, pod 10 may be serviced without removing one of plates 26, 28 or otherwise opening case 12. Specifically, connector 46 permits quality control tests to be run, recorded seismic data to be extracted, clock 20 to be synchronized and power source 22 to be recharged, Because connector 46 is only utilized above the water, a water tight, pressure resistant connector cap 47 may also be provided to protect connector 46. Utilizing such a connector cap 47, connector 46 may be any standard connector that satisfies the desired functions of the pod. Connector 46 need not be of the type normally required of external connectors subjected to high pressure, corrosive environments.
  • bracket 48 By positioning bracket 48 on the periphery of case 12 so that the radial axis extending from the center of case 12 through bracket 48 is less than 900 separated from the radial axis extending from the center of case 12 through transducer 42, the likelihood of damage to this hardware is diminished.
  • a latching mechanism is attached to wall 14, again, preferably, in an position to minimize damage to equipment protruding from pod 10.
  • One effective latching mechanism is an overcenter latching mechanism having opposing jaws that can be opened and closed to permit the units to be attached to a cable for deployment.
  • the latching mechanism may further be attached askew to wall 14 so that the major axis of the latching mechanism and the z-axis of the pod 10 do not intersect. Again, such an orientation further protects hardware protruding from pod 1 0.
  • the external surface 50 of one or both of plates 26, 28 is illustrated.
  • surface 50 may be provided with projections 51, such as ridges or grooves, to enhance coupling between pod 10 and the ocean floor.
  • the projections 51 form a chevron pattern on surface 50.
  • bracket 54 which may be incorporated for clamping or otherwise grasping and manipulating pod 10 so that plates 26, 28 remain substantially horizontal as pod 10 is lowered through a water column by a cable attached bracket 54.
  • bracket 54 may be axially centered on one of plates 26, 28 or otherwise positioned on one of plates 26, 28 above the center of gravity of pod 10.
  • bumper 52 has several functions. First, it may be shaped to urge pod 10 onto one of the two faces 30, 32 when pod 10 touches down on the ocean bottom on edge 34. Bumper 52 also functions to protect pod 10 and any external devices, such as transducer 42, which may be protruding from case 12. Finally, the bumper may be of a shape that inhibits pod 10 from becoming entangled by shrimping nets and shrimping drag or "tickle" chains. In any case, bumper 52 may serve some or all of these functions.
  • bumper 52 may have several designs.
  • FIG. 5 bumper 52a is shown in cut-away disposed around case 12, while in FIG. 4 , a bumper 52a is seen in a top view of pod 10.
  • bumper 52a is shown as having a rounded or curved cross section 55.
  • bumper 52a includes a shoulder 56 which fits into a groove 58 defined around the periphery of case 12.
  • a portion 60 of bumper 52a extends beyond the periphery of case 12, thereby protecting edge 34 of case 12.
  • Due to the rounded nature of the bumper 52a pod 10 will roll or tilt onto a coupling surface of plates 26, 28 if pod 10 begins to settle on the ocean floor so that plates 26, 28 are perpendicular with the ocean floor.
  • bumper 52a will function to protect pod 10 from shock and to protect personnel during handling of pod 10.
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 An alternate bumper profile is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which bumper 52b has a wedge-shaped cross-section 62.
  • bumper 52b includes a shoulder 56 which fits into a groove 58 defined around the periphery of case 12.
  • a portion 64 of bumper 52b extends beyond the periphery of case 12, thereby protecting plates 26, 28 and edge 34 of case 12.
  • the bumper 52b illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 also includes cavities 66 which can be utilized as handholds for grasping and manipulating pod 10.
  • plate 28 is considered the top of pod 10 and plate 26 is considered the bottom of pod 10.
  • bumper portion 68 is shown mounted on top plate 28, bumper portion 68 has a rounded cross-section 70 that transitions into wedge-shaped cross-section 62.
  • glass beads may molded or otherwise incorporated into bumper portion 68 to increase the buoyancy of bumper portion 68. By increasing the buoyancy at the top of pod 10, this insures that pod 10 will be properly oriented, i.e., so that wedge shaped bumper 52b faces down, as pod 10 passes through a water column and settles on the ocean floor.
  • Bumper portion 68 further prevents such a chain or line from snagging or catching on any equipment which may be protruding from the upward-facing plate surface of pod 10.
  • bumper 52c is comprised of a flipper or wedge 72 having a narrow end 74 and a wide end 76. Wide end 76 is fitted and hinged between two brackets 78 attached to wall 14 of case 12.
  • brackets 78 are shaped so that their out edge 80 forms a substantially smooth transition surface with the surface of wedge 72.
  • pod 10 can settle on either surface 26, 28 and the hinged wedge 72 will flap down against the ocean floor, forming a ramp or skirt over which a shrimper chain or similar line will ride when pulled against pod 10. In this way bumper 52c will urge the chain over the top of pod 10 preventing the chain from snagging or catching pod 10.
  • One function of the seismic data recording unit of the invention is the continuous operation of the unit.
  • data acquisition is initiated prior to positioning of the unit on the earth' s surface.
  • a marine seismic unit is activated and begins acquiring data prior to deployment in the water. Systems that are activated and begin acquiring data prior to deployment are thereby stabilized prior to the time when signal detection is desired. This minimizes the likelihood that an altered state in electronics operation will disrupt signal detection.
  • the novelty lies in the "continuous" nature of the unit and such function is applicable whether on land or in a marine environment.
  • data recording is initiated prior to positioning along a receiver line.
  • a marine seismic data recording unit is activated while still on the deployment vessel and begins acquiring data prior to deployment in the water. Again, this permits units to stabilize prior to the time signal recording is desired.
  • clock stabilization one component of system stabilization is clock stabilization. Of the various components of the system, it is well known that clocks typically take a long time to stabilize. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, whether the unit is continuously detecting data or continuously recording data, the clock always remains on.
  • the unit can be utilized in several cycles of deployment and retrieval without interrupting the continuous operation of the unit.
  • recording is initiated.
  • the device is deployed, retrieved and redeployed, all while recording is continued.
  • this continuous recording during multiple cycles of deployment and redeployment can be maintained.
  • the seismic data unit includes wrap around memory, it can continuously record even when not in use in seismic detection.
  • initiation or start instructions become unnecessary.
  • continuous recording utilizing wrap around memory functions as a back-up for data acquired from prior recordings until such time as the prior data is written over.
  • the device can be utilized to record quality control test data rather than seismic data when conducting quality control tests.
  • the data input changes from seismic data to quality control data.
  • the device may resume recording seismic data or other desired data, such as data related to position and timing.
  • a marine seismic unit includes an inertial navigation system to measure the unit's x, y and z position information as the unit is passing through the water column and settles on the ocean floor.
  • an inertial navigation system measures movement in each of the x, y and z dimensions as well as angular movement around each x, y and z axis.
  • the system measures the six degrees of freedom of the unit as it travels from the vessel to the ocean floor, and utilizes such measurement information to determine location on the ocean floor.
  • such x, y and z dimensional information can be determined utilizing accelerometers.
  • Angular orientation i.e., tilt and direction
  • information can be determined utilizing a tilt meter and a compass or other orientation devices, such as gyroscopes.
  • gyroscopes three accelerometers and three gyroscopes are utilized to generate the inertial navigation data used to determine the unit's ocean floor position.
  • the travel path of the unit through the water column can be determined. More importantly, the location of the unit at the bottom of the water column, i.e., the location of the unit on the ocean floor, can be determined. Time sampling will occur at appropriate intervals to yield the accuracy needed. Time sampling between various measurement components may vary. For example, data from the compass, used to measure direction, and the tilt meter, used to measure tilt, may be, sampled more slowly than data from the accelerometers.
  • no other marine seismic unit has utilized one or more accelerometers to determine location in this way.
  • the method and system replaces the need to determine ocean floor location utilizing other techniques, such as through acoustical location transducers or the like.
  • this position determination method functions particularly well with the above described continuous recording method. Because a unit is already recording data as it is discharged into the top of the water column, x, y and z positional information is easily recorded on the unit and becomes part of the unit's complete data record.
  • the invention also provides for a unique retrieval method for OBS units 300 attached to a cable 302, as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
  • retrieving cable 302 over the trailing end 304 (generally the stem) of a vessel 306 as the vessel moves leading end 30S (often the vessel bow) first down a cable 302 in the direction of the cable minimizes dragging of the cable on the ocean floor 310 as the cable 302 is taken up and prevents undue tension or "pulling" of the cable 302 common in the prior art retrieval technique.
  • the water drag on the OBS units and cable in the method of the invention causes the cable 302 to parachute or billow out behind vessel 306, as shown at 312, utilizing the water column as a shock absorber and minimizing undue tension.
  • a flotation release system 314 may also be attached to the cable, generally at one or both ends of the deployed cable, to cause at least a portion of the cable to rise to the surface where it can be easily snagged for retrieval utilizing the above described method.
  • a flotation release system is well known in the art and may include a flotation device that is released from near the ocean floor at the desired time of retrieval or a flotation device that floats on the water surface but remains attached to the cable while deployed.
  • the non-rigid cable of the invention is also incorporated in a unique deployment method for the pods, as illustrated in FIG. 10 .
  • at least two OBS units 400 are tethered together using a non-rigid cable 402.
  • the cable 402 and units 400 are deployed into a water column 404.
  • the units 400 are of a much greater negative buoyancy than the nonrigid cable 402, the units will have a tendency to sink through the water column ahead of the cable such that the cable segment adjoining two units parachutes between the two units as shown at 406,
  • the drag of the cable down through the water column functions as a break, slowing the descent of the units and permitting the placement of the units on the ocean floor 408 to be more readily controlled.
  • the parachuting effect permits control of the orientation of units such as those outfitted with the wedge shaped bumper illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 .
  • the non-rigid cable cause the unit to gently settle on the ocean floor, allowing for consistent coupling of the units to the ocean floor.
  • the non-rigid cable permits slack to form between adjacent units, both during deployment and once settled on the ocean floor.
  • the length of the non-rigid cable between two units will generally be much greater than the actual spacing between the units once resting on the ocean floor.
  • the non-rigid cable of the invention is not utilized to space units apart from one another.
  • a vessel operator can utilize the slack that forms in the non-rigid cable to cause correction to a receiver line as it is being laid.
  • the vessel at the surface can reposition to cause the remainder of the non-rigid cable and attached units to begin settling back on the desired receiver line.
  • the slack in the cable resulting from the non-rigid nature of the cable permits the operator to get back on line and cause the remainder of the individual units to settle in approximately their desired location along the intended line,
  • the cable would not have any adjustment slack and the remainder of the units, while perhaps positioned along the desired receiver line, would not be positioned in the desired location along the receiver line.
  • the cable 402 between them is slack, as shown at 410. This "decouples" individual units from one another and prevents strumming or transmission of undesired noise along the cable.
  • clock 20 is a crystal clock
  • information from the tilt meter 38 may be used to correct for gravitational effects on clock timing.
  • tilt meter information has only been used to correct seismic data.
  • crystal clock corrections to account for temperature effects, no other type of crystal corrections have been made to such clocks.
  • one aspect of the invention utilizes tilt meter information to correct inaccuracies in the clock timing arising from gravitational effects acting on the crystal clock.
  • Such clock correction can be carried out on-board the pod at or near the time of data recording, or applied to the data once the data has been extracted from the pod.
  • information from the tilt meter 38 can be used to apply mathematical gimballing to the seismic data.
  • seismic data has been corrected in the prior art to adjust for orientation, such correction has been based on mechanical gimbals installed on board the prior art OBS systems.
  • a typical mechanical gimbal can cause deterioration in the data fidelity due to dampening of the gimbal in its carriage.
  • the invention may utilize tilt meter information to mathematically adjust the seismic data to account for vertical orientation of the pod.
  • Such mathematical gimballing can he carried out on-board the pod at or near the time of data recording, or may be applied to data once it has been extracted from the pod.
  • information from compass 36 can be used to further refine the mathematical gimballing to account for rotational orientation of the unit.
  • compass data can be incorporated with the tilt meter data in mathematical gimballing to more fully correct seismic data for effects arising from orientation of a pod.
  • seismic surveys may be performed using seismometer packages ("pods," “nodes”), e.g., of the type described herein, to record seismic signals generated in response to multiple seismic sources.
  • seismometer packages e.g., of the type described herein
  • ocean bottom sensor nodes may be used to record seismic signals generated in response to repeated activation of multiple seismic sources, e.g., air gun sources towed by multiple vessels, at selected times and locations. These activations are sometimes referred to as "shots”.
  • the ocean bottom sensor nodes are deployed at selected locations, and may be used to continuously record seismic data during the activation of the multiple sources, with the nodes later retrieved, and the seismic data extracted for processing.
  • the use of multiple sources may be advantageous, e.g., in allowing for a survey plan with a given number of shot points to be completed in less time than would be possible using a single source.
  • the use of multiple sources may lead to complications in data processing.
  • a given sensor node may receive seismic energy originating from multiple sources at the same time, resulting in "blended" data. Accordingly, a survey where this occurs may be referred to as a "simultaneous shooting" survey.
  • the term .'simultaneous shooting is used to discuss this approach to seismic surveying, in practice the shots tend to be only substantially simultaneous, but may be generally (e.g., as described in greater detail below) not precisely simultaneous.
  • shots from different sources that are substantially simultaneous are fired closely enough together in time that at least one node being used in the seismic survey to collect seismic data will receive a signal that for at least some period of time represents seismic data caused by both of the shots.
  • a signal may be referred to as a "blended seismic signal.
  • blended data recorded in response to a blended seismic signal may be unsuitable, e.g., when using processing techniques developed under the assumption of a single source (as is the case with many conventional seismic processing techniques).
  • the seismic survey may be conducted in a manner that allows for the data to be processed to separate out signal from each of multiple sources, a process referred to generally as "deblending".
  • the relation in time between shots may be varied (e.g., randomly, pseudo-randomly, or with a selected timing function). This timing relationship may then be used to deblend the recorded seismic signal.
  • combining data from multiple shots for a given receiver may cause the seismic signal from one source to combine coherently (thereby enhancing the signal from this source in the combined data), while causing the seismic signal from another source or sources to combine incoherently (thereby diminishing the signal from this source in the combined data).
  • the signal from the other sources may be reduced by, e.g., 50%, 75%, 90%, 95%, 99% or more. In some embodiments, this allows the data to be substantially or completely deblended, thereby allowing the data to undergo further processing using techniques designed for non-blended seismic data.
  • seismic shooting may allow for significant reduction in acquisition time for a seismic survey.
  • the time required to perform the survey may be reduced dramatically, on the order of a 50% reduction in time required. If more than two sources are used, the required time may be reduced even further.
  • a seismic survey is to be performed within a set amount of time, a greater amount of data may be gathered for a particular area, or a greater area may be surveyed due to the efficiencies realized with using multiple sources.
  • Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate exemplary uses of autonomous ocean bottom nodes for performing a seismic survey. These examples and others all may be used in performing a seismic survey with simultaneous shooting. While the nodes and sources discussed herein primarily are discussed in a marine environment, the principles discussed herein may be employed in other contexts, such as land-based sources and nodes (e.g. Vibroseis sources).
  • Fig. 11 shows an embodiment where autonomous ocean bottom sensors are deployed and retrieved to and from a marine vessel using a "node-on-a-rope" technique.
  • This deployment process is substantially the same as that described above, e.g., in reference to Figs. 9 and 10 .
  • Two seismic source vessels are shown which implement a simultaneous shooting survey after deployment of the nodes. However, it is to be understood that in various embodiments more or fewer source vessels may be used.
  • the deployment vessel may also serve as a source vessel (e.g., where the source vessel is outfitted with an air gun).
  • Fig. 12 shows an embodiment where autonomous ocean bottom sensors are deployed and retrieved to and from a marine vessel using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
  • ROV remotely operated vehicle
  • a carrier is used to transport sensor nodes to the ocean bottom, for placement by the ROV.
  • this approach reduces or eliminates the need for frequent return trips by the ROV to the surface for reloading with nodes.
  • This deployment process may be substantially the same as that described above, as in e.g., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0286900, published Nov. 24, 2011 .
  • Two seismic source vessels are shown which implement a simultaneous shooting survey after deployment of the nodes. However, it is to be understood that in various embodiments more or fewer source vessels may be used.
  • the deployment vessel may also serve as a source vessel (e.g., where the source vessel is outfitted with an air gun).
  • the nodes may be deployed using other suitable techniques.
  • the nodes may be dropped from the surface, and may include guidance systems that allow the node to be "flown" through the water to a selected location.
  • a seismic survey as described herein may include one or more phases in which nodes are deployed to collect seismic data and then are retrieved, as well as one or more phases in which data is extracted from nodes and processed.
  • An exemplary process for acquiring data using these nodes is now described with reference to Fig. 13 .
  • a multi-source ocean bottom node seismic survey is designed for a specific area. The use of multi-sources may benefit a seismic survey by reducing the amount of time it takes to conduct or by increasing the amount of data in density or area than can be acquired in a given time frame.
  • the nodes are prepared for deployment.
  • the preparations may include calibrating the nodes, synchronizing the nodes to a master clock, and activating the nodes, e.g., for continuous recording.
  • the synchronization may occur at a later, e.g., time after the nodes have been deployed, used to collect data, and subsequently retrieved.
  • the nodes may be synchronized to the master clock before shutdown, and the timing of recorded data can be determined retroactively based on the difference between the time a particular datum was recorded and the time when the node is synchronized.
  • the nodes may be synchronized during deployment.
  • the nodes may be able to receive a signal such as a global positioning system signal that may be used for synchronization.
  • a signal such as a global positioning system signal that may be used for synchronization.
  • land based nodes may be found, e.g., in U.S. Patent Application No. 61/722,024 filed November 2, 2012 , U.S. Patent No. 7,561,493, granted July 14, 2009 , and U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2009/0290453 published November 26, 2009 .
  • ocean bottom nodes may be synchronized when deployed on the ocean bottom before, after, or during the survey.
  • this may be accomplished using an underwater communication link (e.g., an optical link, a wireless link radio link, an inductive link, etc.) between the node and an ROV in the vicinity of node.
  • the ROV can provide a time signal via a tethered link with the deployment vessel, which may in turn access a GPS or other time reference.
  • the autonomous ocean bottom nodes are deployed.
  • the nodes may be placed at predetermined locations on the ocean floor according to design considerations of the seismic survey.
  • the nodes may be deployed by being trailed off of a boat in series, each of the nodes being connected to the linearly immediately preceding and following nodes by a rope, cable, etc.
  • the nodes are operationally autonomous in that neither power, nor data, nor operational instructions are transmitted by the rope, which is designed strictly for keeping the nodes physically connected, allowing for simplified deployment and collection.
  • the nodes may be physically independent of one another as well, and may be deployed individually by a remote-operated vehicle.
  • One or more nodes may be lowered from a boat, for example in a cage or basket, and the remote-operated vehicle may collect the nodes from the cage or basket one at a time and distribute them to the desired locations.
  • nodes may be placed in especially deep locations, such as deeper than 1000 meters below the surface of the ocean.
  • any other suitable deployment depth may be used, e.g., depths greater than 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, 500 meters, 750 meters, 1000 meters, 2000 meters, or more, e.g., in the range of 0-2000 meters or any subrange thereof.
  • two or more seismic sources are activated substantially simultaneously.
  • the timing of the shots may be staggered slightly according to a dithering strategy to reduce signal artifacting and to facilitate deblending of the signals collected in response to the different shots.
  • multiple gun boats may be employed, each having at least one seismic source.
  • a single gun boat may be employed having multiple seismic sources located in physically separated positions.
  • the firing pattern also may include alternating sequentially between sources. For example, four seismic sources may be located relative to each other such that they substantially are at the four corners of a square. In a first shot of the firing pattern, two of the sources may fire, and in a second shot of the firing pattern, the remaining two sources may fire.
  • the deployed nodes can continuously detect, digitize and record seismic wavefields (pressure and particle motion) arriving at the ocean bottom during the seismic survey (e.g. using one or more seismic sensors such a hydrophone, geophone, accelerometer, and combinations thereof).
  • the nodes also can periodically detect, digitize and record the orientation in space (e.g., the tilt angle) of the vector motion sensor.
  • a seismic survey may include many repetitions of step 1330 to collect data resulting from firing seismic sources at many locations throughout the survey area. This data can then be used to develop detailed maps and imaging of the subsurface structures in the survey area.
  • the seismic sources repeatedly fire during the survey as described, while the gun boat(s) slowly moves through the survey area to change the physical locations of the seismic sources.
  • the gun boat(s) may travel in straight lines through the survey area, parallel to a side of the square area, turn around 180 degrees upon reaching the end of the area, relocate slightly to the side, and return in a line parallel to the previously travelled path. This movement pattern may be repeated as required until the entire survey area has been covered.
  • other vessel path geometries are possible as well, including spiral and coil patterns, snakelike wavy patterns, and any other known survey patterns.
  • FIG. 17 An example of a node collecting data in step 1330, which was described above, is shown in Fig. 17 .
  • This figure illustrates a common-receiver gather performed using a an ocean-bottom node 1701.
  • the sonic waves 1706 travel toward and through the ocean floor 1704 and reflect off of a sub-bottom feature 1705.
  • the sonic waves 1706 then return toward the ocean floor 1704, where they are detected and collected by the ocean-bottom node 1701.
  • the varying time between simultaneous shots may be provided by causing the shots to occur at varying spatial intervals as the sources are in motion along a survey path (e.g., at constant speed).
  • regular spatial shot intervals may be used, but the timing of the simultaneous shots controlled to be offset with a time dither as described above.
  • the nodes are retrieved from the ocean bottom after activation of all planned seismic sources at all planned locations.
  • the nodes may be collected one at a time by gradually reeling the line in onto the boat.
  • the nodes may be collected by remote-operated vehicle (ROV) or autonomously operated vehicle (AUV).
  • ROV remote-operated vehicle
  • AUV autonomously operated vehicle
  • the continuously recorded data can then be retrieved from each node after it is collected.
  • Measured timing drift also can be used to synchronize data from all nodes.
  • the vehicle may extract the data from the node while leaving the node in place on the ocean bottom using any suitable type of communication link (e.g. an underwater optical data transfer link).
  • step 1410 the data retrieved from the nodes is received.
  • step 1420 for each source, the known source activation times are used to extract and organize segments of the continuous recording into common receiver gathers.
  • the length in time of the extracted segments can be determined by a maximum depth of interest, corresponding to the maximum amount of time it is expected that seismic waves will require to reach the maximum depth of interest and return to the sensor.
  • Orientation data also can be used to rotate the particle motion data into vertical and desired horizontal components.
  • the coherent seismic signal in each common receiver gather (described below) can be used to detect and apply refinements in source and receiver positions.
  • the data is deblended.
  • the common receiver data can be deblended (according to any suitable technique) to produce an approximation of what would have been recorded in a single source experiment by exploiting the property that the desired signal is coherent and the interfering signal is incoherent.
  • the common receiver gathers exhibit a coherent signal from the source for which the activation times were used to extract the data, and they exhibit incoherent interference from all other sources whose activation occurred in the same time interval.
  • the coherence between signal time segments exhibited by the first source is due to the fact that the time intervals between firing of this source (during which time interval the source also is displaced slightly in space to a new location in the survey area) are regular (e.g. 1 minute).
  • the incoherence between the other sources is the result of the continuously changing random dither time mentioned above.
  • the process can be repeated for gathers generated for the other sources, thereby providing deblended data corresponding to each source.
  • FIG. 15 is a graph showing an example of data collected as part of a seismic survey with multiple seismic sources.
  • FIG. 16 is a graph showing the result of deblending the data of FIG. 15 .
  • the outline of a dual-peak structure is discernable, but is blurred by a significant amount of collected signals at other locations in the graph not corresponding to the apparent dual-peak structure. This noise is mostly attributable to the fact that multiple seismic sources are active at the same time from geographically-offset locations.
  • the dual-peak structure is more clearly visible and the noise in the graph has been reduced significantly.
  • the two source lines are parallel and about 500 ft apart. At closest approach they come to within 4000 and 4500 ft, respectively, of the stationary receiver.
  • the shot-to-shot interval on each line is nominally 82.5 ft (25 m).
  • Typical boat speeds 4.6 kt (2.36 m/s) produce a nominal time between shots of -10600 msec.
  • a random shot timing dither of +/- 1000 msec (for both lines) produces the incoherency in the interference.
  • deblending may use other types of gathers known in the art, such as common midpoint gather, with appropriately adapted coherence- or denoising-based techniques applied to deblend the data.
  • suitable deblending techniques may include FK filtering, tau-p filtering, timefrequency denoising, FX prediction, singular value decomposition, related techniques, and combinations thereof.
  • some embodiments may use the deblending techniques described in Hennenfent, G. , and F. J.
  • Herrmann 2008, Simply denoise: wavefield reconstruction via jittered undersampling: Geophysics, 73, no. 3, V19-V28 , and Herrmann, F. J. , 2009, Sub-Nyquist sampling and sparsity: how to get more information from fewersamples: 79th Annual International Meeting, SEG, Extended Abstracts 28, 3410-3413 .
  • the data is optionally migrated at step 1440.
  • the deblended sensor data is converted into data representing spatial and physical characteristics of the subsurface structures in the area under survey.
  • the data is stacked.
  • the data may be stacked before migration, whereas other implementations may include only post-stacking migration, which is optionally performed at step 21460.
  • Stacking of data involves combining multiple sources of data and generating a new data set incorporating the information present from the various input data.
  • the data is then transformed at step 1470 to generate mapping and/or imaging data representing the subsurface structures in two or three dimensions, such as may be suitable for oil and gas exploration.
  • deblending planned seismic source activations Although the examples described above are focused on deblending planned seismic source activations, it is to be understood that the techniques may also be applied to deblending signal from unplanned seismic source activations (e.g., due to geological events, third party activity in or near the survey area, etc.), as long as the time and spatial location of the unplanned activation can be at least approximately determined.
  • unplanned seismic source activations e.g., due to geological events, third party activity in or near the survey area, etc.
  • the above-described embodiments can be implemented in any of numerous ways.
  • the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof.
  • the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers.
  • a computer may have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to present a user interface. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include printers or display screens for visual presentation of output and speakers or other sound generating devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a user interface include keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touch pads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receive input information through speech recognition or in other audible format.
  • Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, including a local area network or a wide area network, such as an enterprise network, and intelligent network (IN) or the Internet.
  • networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate according to any suitable protocol and may include wireless networks, wired networks or fiber optic networks.
  • a computer employed to implement at least a portion of the functionality described herein may comprise a memory, one or more processing units (also referred to herein simply as "processors"), one or more communication interfaces, one or more display units, and one or more user input devices.
  • the memory may comprise any computer-readable media, and may store computer instructions (also referred to herein as "processor-executable instructions") for implementing the various functionalities described herein.
  • the processing unit(s) may be used to execute the instructions.
  • the communication interface(s) may be coupled to a wired or wireless network, bus, or other communication means and may therefore allow the computer to transmit communications to and/or receive communications from other devices.
  • the display unit(s) may be provided, for example, to allow a user to view various information in connection with execution of the instructions.
  • the user input device(s) may be provided, for example, to allow the user to make manual adjustments, make selections, enter data or various other information, and/or interact in any of a variety of manners with the processor during execution of the instructions.
  • the various methods or processes outlined herein may be coded as software that is executable on one or more processors that employ any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Additionally, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages and/or programming or scripting tools, and also may be compiled as executable machine language code or intermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual machine.
  • inventive concepts may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readable storage media) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other non-transitory medium or tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments of the invention discussed above.
  • the computer readable medium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement various aspects of the present invention as discussed above.
  • program or “software” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of embodiments as discussed above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present invention need not reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present invention.
  • Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices.
  • program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.
  • functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.
  • data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in any suitable form.
  • data structures may be shown to have fields that are related through location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium that convey relationship between the fields.
  • any suitable mechanism may be used to establish a relationship between information in fields of a data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms that establish relationship between data elements.
  • inventive concepts may be embodied as one or more methods, of which an example has been provided.
  • the acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.
  • the present disclosure is related to the subject matter found in the references, U.S. and International Applications listed in Appendix A and Appendix B.All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.
  • a reference to "A and/or B", when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
  • the phrase "at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements.
  • This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase "at least one" refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.
  • At least one of A and B can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

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Claims (16)

  1. System (10) zum Verarbeiten von gemischten seismischen Signalen, das umfasst:
    einen oder mehrere Prozessoren, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Empfangen von gemischten seismischen Signalen, die von einer Mehrzahl von seismischen Sensorknoteneinheiten erfasst werden, die seismische Signale aufzeichnen, die von einer Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen eines Untersuchungsbereichs erzeugt werden, wobei die seismischen Sensorknoteneinheiten ein Geophone (18), eine Uhr (20), eine Leistungsquelle (22), einen Wrap-around-Speicher und einen Beschleunigungsmesser beinhalten;
    Auswählen einer Zeitmessfunktion, die ein Verhältnis einer Dithering-Zeit zu einem Schussintervall beinhaltet, das verwendet wird, um eine seismische Untersuchung durchzuführen, das sich auf höchstens 1/2 beläuft, wobei die Dithering-Zeit eine Verzögerung zwischen zwei Schüssen von zwei verschiedenen seismischen Quellen der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen anzeigt und das Schussintervall eine Verzögerung zwischen zwei Schüssen von einer einzelnen seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen anzeigt; und
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale auf Basis der Zeitmessfunktion, um Daten zu erzeugen, die unterirdische Strukturen darstellen, die Öl oder Gas anzeigen.
  2. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Verarbeiten einer Quellenaktivierungszeit zum Extrahieren und Organisieren von Aufzeichnungssegmenten.
  3. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Dithering-Zeit eine variable Dithering-Zeit auf Basis einer ersten seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen, die so konfiguriert ist, dass sie zu einem ersten Zeitpunkt aktiviert, und einer zweiten seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen beinhaltet, die so konfiguriert ist, dass sie zu einem zweiten Zeitpunkt, der von dem ersten Zeitpunkt beabstandet ist, auf Basis der variablen Dithering-Zeit, aktiviert.
  4. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale auf Basis der Filtertechniken: Midpoint-Gathering, F-k-Filtration, tau-P-Filtration, Zeit-Frequenz-Entrauschen, FX-Prognose oder Singulärwertzerlegung oder Kombinationen davon.
  5. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale auf Basis einer Zeit-Frequenz-Entrauschungstechnik.
  6. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Auftrennen einer Mehrzahl von Wellenfeldern in aufsteigende und absteigende Komponenten.
  7. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale von Aktivierungen seismischer Quellen, wobei eine Zeit und ein räumlicher Ort der Aktivierungen seismischer Quellen bestimmt werden kann.
  8. System (10) nach Anspruch 1, das den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren umfasst, die konfiguriert sind zum:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale auf Basis einer Singulärwertzerlegungstechnik.
  9. Verfahren zum Verarbeiten von gemischten seismischen Signalen, das umfasst:
    Empfangen von gemischten seismischen Signalen durch einen oder mehrere Prozessoren, die von einer Mehrzahl von seismischen Sensorknoteneinheiten erfasst werden, die seismische Signale aufzeichnen, die von einer Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen eines Untersuchungsbereichs erzeugt werden, wobei die seismischen Sensorknoteneinheiten ein Geophone (18), eine Uhr (20), eine Leistungsquelle (22), einen Wrap-around-Speicher und einen Beschleunigungsmesser beinhalten;
    Auswählen einer Zeitmessfunktion durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren, die ein Verhältnis einer Dithering-Zeit zu einem Schussintervall beinhaltet, das verwendet wird, um eine seismische Untersuchung durchzuführen, das sich auf höchstens 1/2 beläuft, wobei die Dithering-Zeit eine Verzögerung zwischen zwei Schüssen von zwei verschiedenen seismischen Quellen der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen anzeigt und das Schussintervall eine Verzögerung zwischen zwei Schüssen von einer einzelnen seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen anzeigt; und
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren auf Basis der Zeitmessfunktion, um Daten zu erzeugen, die unterirdische Strukturen darstellen, die Öl oder Gas anzeigen.
  10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 11, das umfasst:
    Verarbeiten einer Quellenaktivierungszeit zum Extrahieren und Organisieren von Aufzeichnungssegmenten durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren.
  11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, wobei die Dithering-Zeit eine variable Dithering-Zeit auf Basis einer ersten seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen, die so konfiguriert ist, dass sie zu einem ersten Zeitpunkt aktiviert, und einer zweiten seismischen Quelle der Mehrzahl von seismischen Quellen beinhaltet, die so konfiguriert ist, dass sie zu einem zweiten Zeitpunkt, der von dem ersten Zeitpunkt beabstandet ist, auf Basis der variablen Dithering-Zeit, aktiviert.
  12. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das umfasst:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren auf Basis der Filtertechniken: Midpoint-Gathering, F-k-Filtration, tau-P-Filtration, Zeit-Frequenz-Entrauschen, FX-Prognose oder Singulärwertzerlegung oder Kombinationen davon.
  13. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das umfasst:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren auf Basis einer Zeit-Frequenz-Entrauschungstechnik.
  14. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das umfasst:
    Auftrennen einer Mehrzahl von Wellenfeldern durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren in aufsteigende und absteigende Komponenten.
  15. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das umfasst:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale von Aktivierungen seismischer Quellen durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren, wobei eine Zeit und ein räumlicher Ort der Aktivierungen seismischer Quellen bestimmt werden kann.
  16. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das umfasst:
    Entmischen der vermischten seismischen Signale durch den einen oder die mehreren Prozessoren auf Basis einer Singulärwertzerlegungstechnik.
EP21201015.1A 2013-01-11 2014-01-07 Seismische untersuchung mit gleichzeitigem schiessen und erfassung mit seismischen knoten Active EP3955031B1 (de)

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US13/829,210 US9360575B2 (en) 2013-01-11 2013-03-14 Simultaneous shooting nodal acquisition seismic survey methods
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PCT/US2014/010472 WO2014110024A1 (en) 2013-01-11 2014-01-07 Simultaneous shooting nodal acquisition seismic survey methods
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